Help Me Survive Here A StAwMb Outtake
by angelicmethod
Summary: I'd kept my feelings for her a secret for so long - but now she was missing... It was now or never - find Leah and tell her exactly what she means to me - and risk losing her before I even had her. This is the Embry/Leah outtake from StAwMb One-shot


**Hello my lovelies… So this has been requested a bit and I wanted to sit and write it out while I still had the ideas in my head – this is Embry and Leah's story of how she was found and they **_**started**_** their relationship. For anyone who asked, no, Embry and Leah are not imprinted – and I really feel that it is unnecessary to make this work. I may also make this more than a one-shot but I'm unsure at this time… Rated M for a reason!**

**You know the deal – It's not mine, I never claimed it was. All things Twilight belong to Stephenie Meyer and any song titles used belong to their respectful owners – this storyline however, that's mine!**

**This is an outtake from StAwMb – Leah and Embry style…**

**Embry's POV – You Don't Feel Me Here Anymore**

**Outtake from StAwMb – Chapter 13: A Thousand Years**

"_Jacob!" _My voice broke through the pack mind and it sounded panicked – foreign to even me. _"Over here, hurry." _I looked down at the body – the girl didn't look familiar but Leah's scent was everywhere. I could smell her – but I couldn't hear her in my head… something was wrong – very, very wrong.

"_Is it Leah?"_ Jacob asked though he knew the answer to that. He could see it in my mind that it wasn't, but what I was looking at scared the shit out of him. Hell, it scared the shit out of me – I knew what this meant…

I didn't answer Jacob - all I could think of was Leah. Where was she? Was she okay? Why couldn't any of us hear her? So many questions – and I needed the answers before I went out of my fucking mind.

_We had to find Leah…_

Everyone knew I thought she was hot – but that was beside the point. Now wasn't the time to think about how I wanted to feel her underneath me as she called my name in pleasure – now was the time to man the fuck up and find her. I was honestly freaking out because I could smell her everywhere but I couldn't feel or see or hear her.

Why couldn't I feel or hear her?

_Where are you, Leah?_

Okay – so I liked her - wanted her, and not just to get my dick wet. I wasn't a total jackass… I did have feelings. I'd been so careful to hide my feelings from everyone – my brothers and from Leah; none of them could know that I cared for her, that every breath I took when she was around made me feel whole. I hadn't imprinted on her – nor her, me – but I didn't care about that. I wanted her, plain and simple – and if I found her then I would tell her, consequences be damned. I loved her…

I pulled my thoughts back before the rest of the guys could delve into what I was feeling – that's all I needed was for them to give me shit because I had feelings for our sister (though I didn't think of her as my sister – she was _mine_).

Jake finally reached me and phased back quickly. This wasn't good, not good at all. I watched as he bent down and flipped the body over. The girls' green eyes were staring up at nothing; her hands were clenched into fists, her mouth formed into a silent scream. Poor girl hadn't stood a chance – and whoever did this didn't go easy on her either. Her jugular was practically torn out and I watched as Jacob took in the sight of the bites on her neck.

My wolf wanted me to turn and run and I couldn't understand the pull. Leah was out there alone with some sick leech that had already killed. This was unacceptable. I needed to find her – _now_!

I phased quickly, not caring that I was standing there naked. Being a wolf kind of killed the modesty – we didn't have time to worry about anyone seeing what we were packing. I looked over at Jacob again, watching him as he ran his fingertips over the similar mark on his neck. Nessie had bitten him? I wondered for a moment if Leah would mark me?

I shook my head to clear my thoughts – I didn't need to think about that shit right now, I had to find Leah.

Jacob's eyes found mine and I stepped back slightly as I watched them flash red – his body shaking to the point I had to wonder how he was still standing there on two legs and not four. A sneer appeared on his lips as he spat: "Everyone needs to phase again and find Leah, there's a human drinker somewhere around here and we need to figure out what the fuck is going on."

I didn't need to hear anything else – my body knew what to do as I let the phase happen. My mind swirling around the thoughts of Leah that I'd tried so hard to hide from everyone. It didn't matter anymore who knew – if she was still alive out there, I would tell her how much I wanted her. I would whisper in her ear how beautiful I thought she was and tell her everything her heart and mind needed to hear to begin healing. She deserved that much – and I would be the man to show her that she was still a woman and she was _so_ fucking desirable.

"What about you Jacob? Where will you go?" Quil asked as the rest of our brothers phased into their wolves – my mind still focused on Leah and her scent that was whirling around me as the wind blew through the leaves that covered the ground around the girls' body. It was then that I noticed the scent of the leech blowing on the breeze from behind me. A trail…

I didn't wait to hear what Jacob said – my body was running on instinct and the need to find my girl. _My_ girl? I ran toward the scent as fast as my body would allow me to move – all thoughts of my pack left behind as I focused on the hunt. This leech was going to fucking pay.

Leah's scent got stronger the closer I got to Second Beach, but I wasn't alone. I wasn't going to reach her first. The fur on my hackles stood on end and my need to protect what was mine became the only thing that I could think of. There was nothing that would keep me from her – _nothing_…

I jumped through the last bit of underbrush and landed in a crouch, a deep growl vibrating throughout my chest as I watched Paul and Jared pull Leah's broken body from the water.

_Fuck – I was too late…_

It was then that I noticed the fire that was lit on the beach – dark plumes of purple smoke and the sweet, decayed scent of leech wafting from the flames. At least the bloodsucker that did this had paid for what they'd done – though I couldn't help the feelings of anger that it hadn't been me to rip the fucker apart.

"Em, we need your help," Paul hollered loudly as they pulled Leah up the beach, her head hanging limply forward – her hair covering her face.

I didn't waste any more time – I phased and ran toward my brothers as they carefully lay Leah's body down on the sand.

"Fuck, she's not breathing," Jared hissed as he smoothed her hair away from her face and leaned his cheek down toward her mouth. "Paul, do something, man."

I growled loudly again and jumped at Paul as he leaned down toward Leah, his mouth just inches from hers. No one was going to fucking touch her lips but me. I pinned Paul down into the sand, my hand wrapped around his throat as I continued to growl at him, spittle collecting on the sides of my mouth.

"What the hell is your problem, Embry?" Paul hissed as he clawed at my hands. "Let me go before I fucking kill you, dude."

"Don't touch her, she's _mine,_" I growled again – all sanity leaving me as I stared into his eyes and remembering how his face had been inches from hers. What the fuck was wrong with me? I was going to kill my brother for trying to give Leah CPR? He was trying to save her life…

_Leah…_

"Dammit, Embry, we don't have time for this shit," Jared hollered as he did chest compressions, the hollow sound of blood rushing through her body met my ears and I hopped back up off of Paul – my eyes meeting his for a moment.

"I'm sorry, Paul," I whispered as I dropped to my knees beside Leah's still body, the tears threatening to spill over as I pulled her body closer to mine, Jared following as he continued to compress her chest. The forced sound of her blood as he pumped her heart was like a death sentence to me – I couldn't lose her. Imprint or no… I loved her. She had to come back to me, she just had to. "Please, Leah…"

I plugged her nose and tilted her head back to open her airway and leaned down – my lips sealing around hers as I forced two breaths into her lungs. Pulling back slightly, I watched out of the corner of my eye as Jared continued to pump her chest, Paul falling to his knees beside Jared as he watched us both. I waited as patiently as I could while Jared counted out his compressions before I leaned back down and sealed my lips back around Leah's – willing my own life to leave me and give life back to Leah if that's what it took. As I pulled away I felt the hot trails of tears running down my cheeks – this wasn't how this was supposed to be. She wasn't supposed to die…

I should have told her how I felt – because now I may never get that chance again. This wasn't how it was supposed to be.

Jared continued to pump her chest, the crack of her ribs signaling that he was working her heart as hard as he could.

_Fuck…_

"Come on, Leah – please," I begged as I smoothed her hair back again, even close to death she was fucking breathtaking. "You can't leave me, do you hear me? I want to tell you what I should have said a long time ago – I love you. I know, I'm just a kid to you and you've never looked at me like that – but I love you and I want to be able to tell you how beautiful I think you are and I want to see you smile. You're so beautiful when you smile, Leah. I want to be with you and I want to marry you and have kids with you – even though you think you're a genetic dead-end, I know that's not true. I know it's not true because - you're perfect, Leah – so fucking perfect."

The sobs broke from my chest as I leaned down again, my lips sealing back around hers as I exhaled two more breaths into her lungs – watching closely as her chest rose with each one. Pulling back I looked over at Jared and Paul as they both looked at me like I was fucking crazy.

"Compress her chest, Jared," I said quietly – not leaving room for him to question me. She wasn't dead – not if I had anything to say about it. "Come on - do it!"

He hesitated slightly until I growled loudly and then he began counting off the compressions again – the dull thud of her blood working its way through her body once again meeting my ears. I couldn't listen to it anymore – so I continued to run my fingers through her hair as I told Leah everything she should have heard before now:

"I want to spend the rest of my life making sure you never cry again," I whispered against her ear, not caring that Paul and Jared could hear every word I said. "I remember watching you before the imprint happened – how happy you were. You have the most beautiful smile and the prettiest laugh I've ever heard. You're not supposed to hurt or be sad – ever. Come back, Leah – please? I love you so much – and you can't die."

I leaned forward again and sealed my lips around hers ready to exhale into her lungs but I stopped. I unplugged her nose and let my hands drop away from her face as my eyes met hers. Slowly I began to pull away but one of her hands lifted and threaded through my hair, holding my face against hers as she kissed my lips. Stunned I didn't react for a minute – but then I closed my eyes and reached up and smoothed a hand against her cheek. She was warm again – she was alive… I kissed her back with all the love I felt – I kissed her good and hard.

I pulled away slowly, leaving her with one chaste and gentle kiss as I opened my eyes again. She was alive – thank God. I let my thumb trace her lips as I listened to the steady beat of her heart – the rhythm beating out the tune to the sweetest music I'd ever heard.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered softly, so softly I almost didn't hear her. Her voice was raspy and raw and tinged with sadness. "Oh, Embry – I'm so sorry."

"For what, Leah - You have nothing to be sorry for," I sighed as I pulled her closer to me – gently and slowly she pulled her body up and hugged her arms around my neck. I noticed one arm had been broken and was healed wrong but she didn't seem to care at the moment. "I should have told you a long time ago how I felt – I thought I'd lost my chance and so I wanted to say it before I lost my nerve. I understand if you don't feel that way about me."

Our eyes met again as she pulled back slightly – her bottom lip pulled between her teeth as she searched my face. "Embry," she whispered – my name sounding like the sweetest fucking prayer as it slipped from between her lips. "You're amazing and you're cute – but I'm fucked up… you don't want that. You deserve better than me."

I wanted to roll my eyes at her but I didn't – it would solve nothing and it would show her that I actually heard the bullshit she'd just spewed at me. This wasn't going to happen – she wasn't going to push me away and make believe that she was okay with being alone. She was _mine _and I was hers...

"I'm gonna just pretend that I didn't hear that shit and tell you again, I know that this is sudden and I'm not who you dream of at night or who you've been in love with for years – but I'm here to tell you that I love you and I won't take no for an answer, I won't lose the chance to tell you how I feel – not because you're scared," I said vehemently as I stared into her eyes. She was the girl for me – and I was hers, all she had to do was accept me. Couldn't she see that I would lay down my life for her? That I loved her as much as any of the imprinted guys loved their girls?

"Leah, listen to me – I know you've been hurt and that you're not going to make this easy on me, but I'm already yours. There's no one else that will ever have my heart – there's only you. All you have to do is look at me Leah and tell me that you don't feel the same way and you never will – and I'll walk away. But I'll never – ever – stop loving you. And if you say the word – I'm yours."

She chewed on her lip roughly as she looked at me – her breaths heaving as she searched my face once again. Whatever she was looking for – I hope she found it. There was nothing I wanted more than for her to be happy – and I wanted desperately for her to pick me. I prayed to whoever would listen that she would just give me a chance, I could prove to her that I would never hurt her. Could she not feel how much I needed her?

I suddenly wished that Jasper was here so he could pour my feelings over her – then she could know I was for real. I wanted her – God I wanted her… I needed her and I knew deep down that she needed me, too…

"Okay," she said softly, her eyes closing as she nodded her head. "Okay, Embry – I'll try."

Jared and Paul laughed slightly as I jumped up to my feet – my eyes searching her face as she lifted her hands toward me. I was careful as I pulled her up into my arms and leaned forward as I planted another kiss against her lips.

"You just made me the happiest guy in the world," I smiled at her and wrapped my arms around her body bridal-style as we slowly made our way up the beach. "Just hang on, okay? We're going to take you home and get you all fixed up."

She didn't say anything else as I carried her back through the woods toward her mom's house. Nothing else needed to be said, she was mine – and I was hers. This was how it should have always been – and I was going to spend the rest of our lives showing her just how much I loved her and prove to her that I was the man she should have always been with.

"I love you, Leah," I whispered into her hair – her head leaned against my chest as she fought the sleep that threatened to pull her under. "Don't fall asleep, baby – not yet. We're almost to your house then you can rest."

Her eyes met mine as she fought to keep her eyes open. "I heard you," she whispered softly, her good hand threading through my hair. "When I was out of my body – I heard your voice calling me back."

"I'm glad you found your way back," I smiled down at her and kissed her forehead lightly. "I know that we're not imprinted – but I love you as much as the guys love their girls. We don't need an imprint to tell us to be together."

"I know," she said simply as she tucked her head under my chin. I continued the walk toward the Clearwater home – trying not to jostle Leah too much. Her ribs and arm needed to be reset but I wasn't sure who could even break her bones other than me or one of the other guys. I sure as hell wasn't going to do it.

We walked into the clearing in front of Leah's house and I walked a bit faster. Seth whipped the door open and stared at me then his sister – his lip pulled tightly between his teeth (family trait, perhaps).

"She's going to be okay, Seth," I said softly as I walked past him and up the stairs towards Leah's room. "Can we call the Cullens? We need Carlisle to come check her injuries."

The rest of the pack – minus Jacob – made their way into the home but I didn't have time to stay and listen to whatever was being said – my mind was focused on the girl in my arms. I reached the top of the stairs and walked toward the door at the end of the hall – pushing it open with my toe and walked forward, gently putting Leah in the bed as I looked down at her.

"You know you're going to give my mother a show when she comes up here," Leah said with a slight chuckle. My eyebrows knit together as I looked at Leah. She pointed down at my crotch as he lips hitched up in a smile. "I don't think she'd mind – though I'm sure she wouldn't have any idea what to do with something that size."

I blushed as I pulled a blanket off of the chair by the door and wrapped it around my waist – I'd get some clothes from Seth as soon as I knew what was going on and when the Doc could get here. My nerves settled slightly as I watched Leah – her breathing strong and steady and her heart thumping out a rhythm I could feel in my own chest.

She was going to be okay…

Hours passed quickly as I stood over Leah as she drifted between asleep and awake – there was nothing said. Nothing needed to be said – she was mine and I was hers…

I listened to Sue as she broke down – (Jared and Paul had filled her in on what had happened) – on the phone with Jacob. Emily took up where Sue had left off and I listened closely as Jake said they'd get Count Docula (I really liked him – I just couldn't help myself) and Edward to come and help Leah. That was all I needed to hear as I finally sat down on the corner of her bed, my hand working its way through the tangles in her hair.

She leaned into the palm of my hand and planted a small kiss there, her eyes heavy lidded with exhaustion and a small smile still pulling the corner of her lips. "Thank you," she said as her tired eyes met mine once more. "Thank you for saving my life."

"I would do anything for you Leah," I said honestly – the truth tingeing each and every word. "But Jared helped, too – he got your heart beating again."

She shook her head slightly as she kissed my palm once more. "No Embry," she whispered softly. "I mean thank you for seeing the side of me that no one else has seen since Sam broke me. You saved my life – and I'm grateful."

"You were never broken Leah," I said as I leaned down toward her, my face just inches from hers. "You just needed time to let go of what _was_ so you could see what _could be_ – that's all. Not broken – just bruised a bit."

She smiled once more as her eyes closed again and her body relaxed and she finally fell into a fitful sleep – the pain evident on her face from her injuries. After this – she would never hurt again; I'd make sure of that. I sat there at the end of her bed and watched her. I wanted to take her pain away, to heal her and make sure that she was 100% again. I waited and watched...

More hours passed as I watched – never leaving her side as she tossed and turned. Then her voice broke through the silence and I couldn't help the smile that pulled across my lips.

"Embry," she whispered in her sleep – her good hand reaching forward, toward me. "Embry…"

"It's okay, Leah," I whispered back as I leaned over her and kissed her forehead. "I'll always be here baby – always."

She smiled slightly as her arm dropped back to the bed. "Embry…"

She'd found her way back to me. She was alive. She was mine.

Leah…

She was mine – and I was hers...


End file.
